Snap-fastener



C. F. BACKMYER.

SNAP FASTENEH. APPLICATION FILED MAYH.

Patented July 1 1919.

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WITNESSES:

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (20., WASHINGTON, D. c.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patelnted July 1, 1919.

Application filed May 11, 1918. Serial No. 233,839.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER F. BACK- MYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Snap-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawing, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates generally to improvements in snap fasteners; and it consists, essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination of parts and details of con struction, as hereinafter first fully set forth and described "and then pointed out in the claims.

The object of my present invention is the production of fastening means of the snapfastener type, whereby two articles may be readily and removably attached to each other by a very simple manipulation, a fastener which shall be comparatively cheap in its manufacture, and which, is not liable to get out of order, especially so when applied to a washable article which when passed through a clothes wringer is liable to be crushed or otherwise rendered ineffective. This fastener comprises but three parts two of which are made from sheet metal and can be produced in dies in large quantities at a minimum cost, while the third member is a wire article which, likewise, can be readily produced in large quantities at a nominal cost. y

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, and disclosing the preferred embodiment of my invention, as well as several modifications thereof, Figure 1 is an inverted plan of what I shall hereinafter term the female member or element of this fastener, the figure, as well as all the remaining figures of the drawings being drawn on a magnified scale. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a like view, showing the parts of this fastener in the act of being engaged. Fig. 41 is a plan view illustratingthe parts.v in engaged condition.

Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of a modified form of the female member of this fastening. Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the same on line 6--6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 isan inverted pan of the latter fastener, showing 13, which bead, however,

rower than the diameter of the end of the slot 15 being, preferably semithe parts in engagement. Fig. 8 is an inverted plan of still another modification of my device. Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a like view of the fastener in assembled condition; Fig. 11 is a sectional fragmental view of a detail of this device. i

Like parts are designated by the same characters and symbols of reference in all the figures.

A, in all of the figures designates the female member; B, the male member; and C the catch employed in this device. This female member comprises, preferably, a circular disk which is, preferably, slightly concavo-convex, as indicated at 12, the marginal edge of which is rolled or formed into a bead is open circumferentially, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and other figures. In this disk A there is, preferably at one side of the center thereof, a circular'opening 141, and terminating in this opening there is in the disk A a slot 15, narthe opening 14:,

circular, as shown.

Located at the under side of the disk A, and crossing the slot 15 approximately medially of the disk, there is located a, preferably wire, resilient member or spring C. This spring is, wire bent approximately to U-shape, the members 16 of. which are outwardly curved in opposing directions,as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, and other figures, the free ends of the spring as well as the cross member 17 thereof being tucked under the bead 13, and the cross member may be impinged, clenched upon by the marginal edge of the bead to prevent displacement of said spring, or otherwise secured to said member The curvature of the members 16 of the spring C is such'that they meet in'the center of the disk, as at 19, the object of which will later on appear.

. In the disks. there are a series of small openings 18, near the margin thereof which afford means for securing the disk to any article or object to which it is to be attached,

by stitching, eyelet ng, riveting, or other approved means. I

The male member 13, of this fastener 1s, preferably, a circular disk in every respect like the disk A, except that instead of the openings 14:, 15, therein, it has centrally a button 20, which is necked, as at 21, the

preferably, a single piece of i diameter ofthe button being slightly less than the diameter of the opening 14, and the external diameter of the neck 21' being slightly less than the width of the slot 15.

The operation of this fastener 1s essen-- tially as follows: The elements A, B, being secured to the parts that are to be removably united, such as garments, curtalns, gloves and others, the button of the male part is inserted into the opening 1 1 of the female part and then laterally moved 1n the direction of the slot 15. This will cause the adjacent parts of the spring G to be depressed or moved away from the inner surface of the element A, to permit the button 20 to pass underneath the spring C. After the button has passed the spring the latter will snap back to normal position and thereby hold the button in the slot. Pulling the member 13 in the opposing direction Wlll reverse the action of the parts and the parts readily separated.

I have heretofore stated that the elements A,'B, are preferably of circular formation, which is the best contour for production in large quantities in dies by means of punch- V ingpresses; but it is evident that the shape or contour of these disks ispractically immaterial as long as provlslons are made for retalnlng the spr ng C 1n position and permit of the necessary movement or deflection of the spring.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 I show a modified form of construction of the device, the difference being in the contour and location of the spring, C, which in this instance is axially alined'with the opening 14 and slot 15, and medially, the members 16 have oppositely directed projections or humps 22, leaving between them a narrow space 23. The operation of this device is substantially the same as heretofore described except that the button 20 after passing the opening 14, when pushed laterally into the slot 15, the spring members 16 are forced apart to permit the neck of the button to pass these projections and then by'resuming normal position, to hold the button behind said projections 22. A reverse movement of the button produces releasing of the button, in an obvious manner.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10, a slight modification of the deviceillustrated in Figsfi, 6, and-7, is depicted. The elements A and B, are still the same as first described; but the spring C instead of having oppositely extending projections pointing toward each other, has central humps 2 1, directed toward the inner face of the element A. The but' ton 20, after being passed through the opening 14, depresses the spring-members 16, which, after the button 20 has passed the humps 2-1, resume normal positions, so that the humps 24 hold the button in fastened position, which, by" a reverse movement ef 7 0 bending of the spring members and the locking of the button by the humps or projections on the spring members engaging the button after it has passed into the slot 1;) in the member A.

I have heretofore mentioned that the cross bar 17 of the spring C may be held in position by clenching or bending the bead 13 upon the bar 17 This feature is shown in Figs. 8 and 11, and is so obvious as not to require any detailed description.

Having thus fully described this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure to myself by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. A snap fastener, including a female element, said female element having a slotted aperture and an enlarged opening in which said slotted aperture terminates, a male member, said male member having a button, said button having a neck or constricted portion, and a spring member, said spring member comprising two curved members and a cross bar connecting said curved members at one of their ends, the curvature of said spring members being such that medially of their length they are in close proximity of each other, said cross member being fixedly connected to the female element, the ends of the curved spring members being movably held to the female member.

2. In a snap fastener, a female member, said female member being a plate, the marginal edges of said plate being formed into an open bead, there being in said plate a slotted aperture, and an enlarged opening in which said slotted aperture terminates, and a spring, said spring being bent to approximately U-shape, the limbs of said spring being curved toward, and approaching each other, said limbs being connected at one end, the latter end, and the terminals of said limbs being tucked into said open head, the connected end of said limbs being fixedly held in position by said bead.

3. In a snap fastener, a female member, said female member being a circular disk, the marginal edge of said disk being formed into an open bead, there being in said disk a slotted aperture, and an enlarged opening in which said slotted apertureterminates, a spring, said spring being bent to approximately Ushape, the limbs of said spring being curved toward, and nearly touching each other, said limbs being connected to a cross bar, said cross bar, and the terminals of said limbsbeing tucked into the open bead, and a male member, said male member having a button, said button havin a constriction or neck, the diameter of the button and that of said neck being less than the diameter of the enlarged openlng and the Width of the slotted aperture, respectively, whereby by inserting said button into said enlarged opening said limbs are depressed to permit said neck to enter said slotted aperture, and after said button has passed said limbs to permit said limbs to resume their normal position and to thus hold the male member in engaged position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

CHRISTOPHER F. BAOKMYER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

